Episode 9: Sanctions, Sexism, and Gender Bias in the Courtroom

A judge issued a sanctions order against a plaintiff attorney. But this was not about missed deadlines or discovery disputes. It was about gender bias, professionalism, and what happens when misogyny shows up in a courtroom.

In this episode, Karen Koehler, Mo Hamoudi, and Mike Todd break down the order, including allegations that a female defense attorney was told she lacked empathy because she did not have children and was treated drastically differently than her male counterpart during depositions. The court found the conduct inappropriate. The bigger question is why we are still talking about this in 2026.

Karen sits in the discomfort. She talks about the shock of being pulled out of what you thought was a professional exchange, what it means to “stuff it” when your primary job is protecting your client, and why silence only feeds shame. Mo reflects on bullying, allyship, and whether redemption requires acknowledgment. Mike pushes on accountability and consequences.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with someone navigating bias in their profession.

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Hosted by Karen Koehler and Mo Hamoudi, trial lawyers at Stritmatter Law, a nationally recognized plaintiff personal injury and civil rights law firm based in Washington State.

Produced by Mike Todd, Audio & Video Engineer, and Kassie Slugić, Executive Producer.

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